CC.com Hails Porgy and Bess as “Highly Polished, Professional Production”

ClevelandClassical.com weighs in with their review of the ASO’s Saturday performance of Porgy and Bess.

All vocally vibrant, the four leads invested their somewhat cardboard characters with real personality. As Bess, Marquita Lister was an imposing physical and vocal presence (especially in her red dress). Alvy Lister convincingly dragged a useless leg around for nearly two hours while singing with power and resonance. Crown became the embodiment of evil in the hands of Lester Lynch, but he sang magnificenty in the role of the principal cad. Angela Renee Simpson was in splendid voice, contributing astral high notes of compelling beauty that sailed over the whole ensemble, while creating a sympathetic and pious Serena. And it’s difficult to believe that Akron native Emmanuel LeGrair was making his mainstage debut: in a masterful performance, he made his character, the drug-dealing Sportin’ Life, into a likeable sleazebag, and sounded wonderful in It ain’t necessarily so.

Read the entire review here.

Symphony Express Rolls In May 3-13

Read more

News Release: Fanfare 2011 – An Evening in Morocco

AKRON SYMPHONY’S FANFARE TO FEATURE EXOTIC “MOROCCAN” THEME, MAY 21 AT THE TANGIER

AKRON—In a setting inspired by the classic film Casablanca, this year’s Akron Symphony Fanfare fundraiser will assume a Mediterranean theme as guests are invited to spend “an evening in Morocco” on Saturday, May 21 at the world famous Tangier in downtown Akron. From the sights of brightly colored fabrics to the smells of exotic spices, Fanfare 2011 will transform the newly renovated Tangier Backstage Cocktail Lounge and Fountain Dining Room into a bustling old-world marketplace. Read more

Mozart Requiem This Saturday!

Guest conductor David Lockington leads the Akron Symphony Orchestra, Chorus, and guest vocalists for Mozart’s Requiem Saturday, May 14 at E.J. Thomas Hall!

An Evening In Morocco!

Fanfare 2011: An Evening In Morocco comes to The Tangier on Saturday, May 21. Did you receive *your* invitation?

Porgy “A Rare Treat” Says ABJ’s Clawson!

The Beacon Journal’s Kerry Clawson posts her review of the ASO’s opening night performance of Porgy and Bess, calling the massive production “history in the making,” “magic,” and “a rare treat.”

Seeing the Akron Symphony Orchestra’s opening night of the folk opera Porgy and Bess was a rare treat that felt like history in the making Friday at E.J. Thomas Hall.
The massive, two-night production, which included 250 singers, musicians and crew members, was a glorious presentation of George Gershwin’s masterpiece, seamlessly melding local and out-of-town talent to create the both beautiful and devastating world of the folks from Catfish Row.

Read the full review here.

News Release: Concerts For Kids 2011

Akron Symphony Presents “Little Engine That Could” May 3-13

Children’s classic featured as part of “Concerts For Kids” series

AKRON—ALLLLLL ABOOOOOOAAARRRRD!! as the Akron Symphony Orchestra’s (ASO) Concerts For Kids returns with “Symphony Express” May 3 through 13, including stops in Akron, Uniontown, Barberton, and Hudson. Conducted by ASO Assistant Conductor Levi Hammer, this intimate series of concerts for pre-schoolers explores the personalities of orchestral instruments through a performance of the timeless classic The Little Engine That Could, complete with narration by Magical Theatre Company.

To further the educational Read more

Concerts For Kids, May 3-13

Concerts For Kids 2011 featuring the children’s classic “The Little Engine That Could” with narration by Magical Theatre Company.

CC.com Counts Down To Porgy

ClevelandClassical.com has released the first two in a planned seven-part series of interviews with the key artistic figures behind the Akron Symphony’s upcoming production of Porgy and Bess. Interviews with Music Director Christopher Wilkins and Marquita Lister (Bess) were published on Tuesday and Wednesday. Look for an interview with our Porgy, Alvy Powell, to be posted later today and keep checking ClevelandClassical.com as they help count down the days until Porgy and Bess is unleashed on Akron in all its epic glory!

MT: There are so many versions of the opera; are you using one of those, or have you created your own?
CW: That is a very interesting question, because there are many versions, and then there’s the complete opera the way Gershwin wrote it. Then there is the whole question of cuts, including the relatively recent hot question; can we talk about authentic Gershwin cuts?
But before we get into that, it is quite interesting to read about the history of productions, and how one of the problems with Porgy and Bess was thought to be that it didn’t succeed as an opera. So we’re going all the way back to the 1930’s when many said; yes, there is some great music in here, but as an opera it is a failure. There were various attempts to “correct” the failings of Porgy and Bess as opera. One of the people who figures very prominently in that history is from Akron, Cheryl Crawford.

Read the entire interview with Maestro Wilkins here. The interview with Marquita Lister can be found here.

Watch for further articles on ClevelandClassical.com:
Thursday April 7: Alvy Powell – Porgy
Friday April 8: Lester Lynch – Crown
Saturday April 9: Angela Renee Simpson – Serena
Sunday April 10: Frank McClain – Stage Director
Monday April 11: Levi Hammer – Chorus Master
Tuesday April 12: Porgy and Bess: Then and Now